Weaving a Story: Jamaican Basket Weavers and Life Learning

The Role of Narrative in the Intergenerational Transmission of Learning

Among Jamaican Female Basket Weavers

Binta Masani, PhD

ABSTRACT

Historically speaking, many of the social skills necessary to prepare young people for their transition into adulthood occurred through informal tacit learning systems. While an observed practice, scholarly analyses of the role of narrative as an educational tool in the social practices of multigenerations of cultural sharing females is nonexisitent in academic literature. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the role of narrative in the intergenerational transmission of life learning among Jamaican females from a basket weaving community. Narrative inquiry was the research method used to capture the lived experiences of Jamaican females basket makers. Click here Remembering Anita to read an excerpt from one jamaican basket makers story.

The conceptual framework for this study was narrative learning (storytelling) along with an adult development life cycle model and informal adult learning theories. The sample population included females age 18 to 69 years old from a Jamaican basket weaving community. Data collection involved informal and semi-structured face-to-face

interviews. Reflexivity and peer review guided the data analysis process. An interpretative content analysis included open, axial, and descriptive coding. The results of this study confirmed that intergenerational relationships still exist and flourish among Jamaican females in a basket weaving community. Findings from this study can be used to improve female mentoring relationships, implement intergenerational partnerships between individuals and community-based organizations, and contribute toward social change for disenfranchised women and girls through the expansion of nontraditional adult and vocational education programs.

Note: The above abstract is taken from Dr. Masani's dissertation. Please click here Jamaican Basket Weaversand read about the social and cultural conditions of female basket weavers. Also, continue to browse our website to learn more about Dr. Masani's research with intergenerational transmission and narrative learning.